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Stamp Out Hunger, the Nation’s Largest Food Drive, Hits West Texas Saturday, May 12

Stamp Out Hunger, the Nation’s Largest Food Drive, Hits West Texas Saturday, May 12
May 11, 2012

ODESSA – The West Texas Food Bank (WTFB) is pleased to partner once again with the National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO) to take part in the nation’s largest food drive, Stamp Out Hunger, which takes place on Saturday, May 12, 2012 across all 50 states and U.S. jurisdictions. On that day, letter carriers will collect non-perishable goods set out by mailboxes as they deliver mail along their postal routes.

To raise awareness and kickoff the campaign, WTFB will be hosting a Stamp Out Hunger press conference at their Odessa distribution center, 1008 E. 2nd Street, at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 4th. WTFB Board President Christopher Upton, U.S. Postal Worker and Assistant Food Drive Coordinator Jacque Glenn, and Bill Webster, CEO of Medical Center Health System, will be in attendance.

Since its inception in 1993, the nationwide drive has collected and delivered over three-quarters of a billion pounds of food – 765.5 million pounds – to help hungry families. Last year, Stamp Out Hunger brought in over 99,000 pounds of much-needed food to WTFB.

“The upcoming summer months are a particularly critical time for families across the Permian Basin with children out of school and rising utility costs to beat the summer heat. Stamp Out Hunger is one of our most important food drives of this year for exactly those reasons,” said WTFB Executive Director Augie Fernandes.

Jacque Glenn, the assistant food drive coordinator at the U.S. Post Office said, “We letter carriers see these families every day as we deliver mail. This food drive is one way we can help those who are struggling. We encourage our postal patrons to participate by leaving donations by their mailbox on May 12.”

Residents are asked to leave non-perishable donations – such as canned meat, fish and soup, and cereals, pasta and rice – in a bag near their mailbox on Saturday, May 12 before their letter carrier arrives. It will be taken to the local post office and then delivered to WTFB, who provides food to over 170 Partner Agencies in 22 counties of West Texas.
This year, the WTFB is excited to announce the co-sponsor of the local Stamp Out Hunger drive is Medical Center Health System in Odessa.

"Medical Center Healthy System recognizes that hunger is a continuing problem in America and we want to encourage everyone in the community to get involved with Stamp Out Hunger,” said MCH CEO Bill Webster. "We know that a healthy community starts with a nourished community.”

Along with setting out canned food on Saturday, May 12, the WTFB would also businesses and organizations to know there are several volunteer shifts available that evening in both Midland and Odessa to sort through the influx of donations. Interested parties may contact WTFB Volunteer Coordinator Zoe Tolbert at 432-580-NEED or ztolbert@feedingamerica.org for more information and to sign up. Volunteers will receive commemorative t-shirts thanks to MCH’s generous sponsorship.